In this episode of the Smarter Not Harder Podcast, our guest Dr. Brad Leech joins our host Jodi Duval to give one-cent solutions to life’s $64,000 questions that include:   What are the benefits of a healthy microbiome and how do we measure this? What does the gut microbiome do for us, and how does the microbiome interact with systemic health? What are some new advancements surrounding the microbiome in recent years, and what does this mean or change for us clinically? Dr. Brad Leech is a PhD-qualified Clinical Nutritionist specializing in chronic autoimmune conditions and complex gastrointestinal disorders. He provides complete and personalized care to his patients using functional nutrition, integrative medicine and holistic wellness. After entering the profession in 2008, Brad has taught and developed subjects at leading universities and conducted research on intestinal permeability, autoimmune disease management and food-based probiotics. Brad is the Lead Clinical Educator and co-creator of Co-Biome, where his expertise in gastrointestinal healthcare enables him to translate the latest science on the gut microbiome into practical clinical applications. In addition to his research, and working with patients, Brad offers practitioner support through his mentoring program Brad’s Brainiacs. What we discuss: [00:00] A healthy microbiome is essential for optimal health and can reduce the risk of chronic diseases [07:40] Diversity in diet is key for a healthy microbiome [14:16] The gut microbiome produces metabolites that impact systemic health [21:10] Microbiome diversity and production of beneficial compounds are linked to various health conditions [27:31] Advanced sequencing methods allow for a comprehensive understanding of the microbiome. [34:21] Metagenomics can identify 28,000 bacterial species and their functions [40:55] Personalized medicine is the new approach to treating dysbiosis [46:54] Reduce LPS-producing bacteria through prebiotic fiber, bovine colostrum, and reducing saturated fats [53:16] Increase butyrate production with resistant starch and diverse fiber [59:41] Recommended daily fiber intake is around 30 grams for females and 38 grams for males Find more from Smarter Not Harder: Website: https://troscriptions.com/blogs/podcast | https://homehope.org Instagram: @troscriptions | @homehopeorg   Find out more from Dr. Brad Leech: Website: https://drbradleech.com/ Instagram: @drbradleech Twitter: @drbradleech LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbradleech/ Get 10% Off Your Purchase of the Metabolomics Module by using PODCAST10 at https://www.homehope.org   Get 10% Off your Troscriptions purchase by using POD10 at https://www.troscriptions.com   Get daily content from the hosts of Smarter Not Harder by following @troscriptions on Instagram.